New Medical Marijuana Cards Aim to Protect Patients

Earlier this month, the department of health and human services’ announced it is accepting applications from nonprofit corporations to become dispensaries under maine’s medical use of marijuana act. In July, eight dispensaries will be selected by DHHS.In addition to the dispensaries, patients and caregivers who want access to medical marijuana will have to register for an i-d card. Organizers of the new program say some people don’t like it, but also say it actually gives more protection to the rights of patients and caregivers than they have had in the past. DHHS director of licensing and regulatory services Catherine Cobb says, “Under the informal law if you’re picked up with marijuana you can be arrested and charged and go to court and use the note you have from your physician as to what’s referred to as affirmative defense so you can use that to be found innocent. In these cases you’re going to have your card, you’re not going to get arrested and end up going through that process. We feel it’s more humane for the patient not to be treated like a criminal.” Cobb adds that law enforcement will not be able to find out patients names through checking the card, only how much marijuana they may legally possess. For more information